The invention is directed to nursing accessories and more particularly to apparatuses for assisting a two-breasted wearer of a nursing brassiere in determining which breast was most recently used for nursing or which breast should next be used for nursing.
Nursing mothers are typically advised by their physicians to alternate the use of their breasts from one nursing session to another. That is, the physician advises that if a mother""s baby has nursed from, for example, her right breast during a nursing session, she should have the baby nurse from her left breast during the next nursing session. This pattern allows the milk supply in the most recently used breast to be replenished and allows the breast""s nipple area to recuperate from the recent nursing activity.
Frequent nursing sessions and myriad activities between nursing sessions routinely cause many nursing mothers to forget which breast was most recently used for nursing, or which breast should next be used for nursing, according to the physician""s recommendation. Therefore, there is a need for a nursing accessory that assists nursing mothers in remembering which breast is preferred for nursing for the next nursing session.
Even nursing mothers who have strong memories may occasionally be mistakenly sure that they have correctly remembered which breast is preferred for nursing, but may use the non-preferred breast anyway. Therefore, there is a need to restrict nursing mothers from using the non-preferred breast for the next nursing session.
Nursing brassieres are known in the art to provide full support for a nursing mother""s breasts while offering temporary access to the nipple areas of the breasts for nursing sessions. That is, the nursing brassieres are configured to provide full support for both breasts while the mother is not nursing the baby, but allow the mother to, for example, access her right breast during a nursing session, while still providing full support for her left breast, and vice versa.
Unfortunately, while providing such functionality, none of the presently available nursing brassieres assist the mother in remembering which breast was most recently used for nursing, or which breast should next be used for nursing, according to the physician""s recommendation. Therefore, there is a need for a nursing brassiere that assists a nursing mother in remembering which breast is preferred for nursing for the next nursing session.
In addition, mothers that use nursing brassieres may attempt to use the non-preferred breast for the next nursing session without realizing that the breast is not preferred. Therefore, there is a need to restrict nursing mothers who wear nursing brassieres from using the non-preferred breast for the next nursing session.
The invention addresses the shortcomings discussed above and other limitations of the prior art by providing an apparatus for assisting a two-breasted wearer of a nursing brassiere in determining which breast was most recently used for nursing or which breast should next be used for nursing.
In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a flexible element that has a first end attached to the brassiere and a second end that can be coupled to either a first portion of the brassiere or a second portion of the brassiere. The first portion is associated with one of the woman""s breasts and the second portion is associated with the other breast.
In one aspect, the second end includes a sleeve that can be opened and closed about either portion. The first portion includes a first fastener that must be released before the first breast can be accessed for nursing. The second portion includes a second fastener that must be released before the second breast can be accessed for nursing. When the second end is coupled to the first fastener access to the first fastener for release is restricted. When the second end is coupled to the second fastener access to the second fastener for release is restricted. Preferably, the second end includes a sleeve that can be opened and closed about either fastener, such that when the sleeve is closed about the first fastener the first fastener cannot be accessed for release, and when the sleeve is closed about the second fastener the second fastener cannot be accessed for release.
In another embodiment, the first portion includes a first mating element integrated with the brassiere, the second portion includes a second mating element integrated with the brassiere, and the second end includes a coupling element that can be mated with either mating element.
In one aspect, the coupling element has a protrusion and each mating element has a recess for receiving the protrusion and biasing the protrusion therein. The brassiere includes a first fastener that must be released before the first breast can be accessed for nursing, and a second fastener that must be released before the second breast can be accessed for nursing. When the coupling element is mated with the first mating element access to the first fastener for release is restricted. When the coupling element is mated with the second mating element access to the second fastener for release is restricted. Preferably, the first portion is adjacent the first fastener and the second portion is adjacent the second fastener, such that when the coupling element is mated with the first mating element the first fastener is covered by the coupling element and when the coupling element is mated with the second mating element the second fastener is covered by the coupling element.
In yet another embodiment, the apparatus includes an indicator that can be placed in at least two states. A first state indicates a nursing preference for the first breast and a second state indicates a nursing preference for the second breast.
In one aspect, the indicator is attached to or integrated with the brassiere and the indicator can be rotated with respect to the brassiere to place the indicator in any of the states. In another aspect, when the indicator is in the first state, a portion of the indicator points toward the first breast, and when the indicator is in the second state, the portion of the indicator points toward the second breast. Preferably, the indicator is attached to or integrated with a central portion of the brassiere, the central portion includes a socket, and the indicator includes a protrusion that can rotate within the socket.
In still another embodiment, the apparatus includes a switch. The apparatus can be part of a nursing brassiere adapted to be worn on the upper body of a woman to support her breasts during normal wear periods and to provide access to either breast during nursing periods. The nursing brassiere comprises a pair of breast cups secured to the upper body of the woman so that each accommodates one of the breasts. At least a portion of the first breast cup must be moved before the first breast can be accessed for nursing. At least a portion of the second breast cup must be moved before the second breast can be accessed for nursing. An activation of the switch permits the portion of the first breast cup to be moved and prevents the portion of the second breast cup from being moved. A subsequent activation of the switch permits the portion of the second breast cup to be moved and prevents the portion of the first breast cup from being moved.
In one aspect, the apparatus includes an alternating release switch at a central portion of the brassiere; a first coupling element, on the portion of the first breast cup, that can be received by the switch; and a second coupling element, on the portion of the second breast cup, that can be received by the switch. When the first coupling element is received by the switch the first coupling element is secured in the switch and access to the first breast for nursing is restricted. When the second coupling element is received by the switch the second element is secured in the switch and access to the second breast for nursing is restricted. An activation of the switch when both of the coupling elements are secured in the switch releases only one of the coupling elements from the switch. After the switch releases the one coupling element from the switch, the switch is set to release only the other coupling element as a result of a subsequent activation of the switch.